  | Global retail industry news |  |
- Higher retail sales strengthen Canada's currency
Canadian retail sales rose a higher-than-expected 1% in October, the third consecutive month of higher sales, according to a report from Statistics Canada. The Canadian dollar grew stronger against the U.S. dollar this week as a result. Reuters (21 Dec.), Bloomberg (21 Dec.)      - Sporting Life gears up as competition grows
Canadian outdoor apparel retailer Sporting Life has added about 40% more selling space to its Toronto flagship, and the company may seek to take on new investors and possibly go public. The moves come as the chain works to fend off growing competition from its vendors, including Salomon, North Face and Nike, which are launching their own branded stores. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (21 Dec.)  | Consumer Insights Your Brand Needs to Know: Latest Trends in Behavioral Advertising
Learn what brand managers, advertisers, as well as networks, agencies, and publishers need to know about consumer survey insights into behavioral ad serving, also known as interest-based advertising. Learn more today! |
 - ASDA expects to end the year on a high note
Wal-Mart-owned ASDA is seeing strong sales in both the food and nonfood categories this holiday season, and the UK's second-largest supermarket chain expects to enter 2012 in growth mode, CEO Andy Clarke said Tuesday. The chain plans to expand beyond its 500 UK stores, and having Wal-Mart's resources behind it makes it easier to acquire land and existing retail space, Clarke said. The Wall Street Journal (21 Dec.) - Thorntons to close 180 chocolate shops
Chocolatier Thorntons will close 180 of its 579 UK stores as leases expire in the next three years, the company said Wednesday. The 100-year-old merchant said profits have been negatively affected by deep discounting of its products at grocery stores and that it expects to break even rather than turning a profit in the current fiscal year. The Guardian (London) (21 Dec.)  | Voice of the Customer is not just about surveys anymore.
Customers are interacting with your brand through multiple channels including the website, retail store, contact center and even social media. Download this white paper and learn how you can easily gather and leverage data from all customer touchpoints to deliver a superior customer experience. |
 - Hong Kong merchants make merry as China celebrates
Retailers in Hong Kong expect to ring up strong holiday sales, driven in large part by tourists from China who are increasingly embracing the shopping aspect of the season. The Christmas season now brings the biggest portion of Hong Kong merchants' yearly sales, although it's only about 10% to 12% of the total compared to far more for US retailers, says research firm Synovate. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (21 Dec.) - Lianhua Supermarket chain invests in Shanghai logistics center
Chinese grocery retailer Lianhua Supermarket Holdings will invest more than CNY800 million to build a 200,000-square-meter logistics facility in Shanghai. The modern facility, set to be completed in 2014, will serve Lianhua stores and also offer distribution services to manufacturers, wholesalers and other retailers. ChinaRetailNews.com (22 Dec.)  | Logistics is much more than the movement of goods and services. It's also your pre-game strategy. Before you step on the court, you need the right players running the right plays at the right time. Learn more about those key plays in this free whitepaper from UPS and get in the game of logistics. |
 - India's online retailers are in hiring mode
India's online retailers have nearly doubled their staffing levels this year and plan to continue growing in 2012 as e-commerce booms. "The pace of growth is crazy, and we need more hands to enable e-commerce. By December 2012, I will hire an additional 1,000 people," said Snapdeal.com COO Rohit Bansal. The Economic Times (India) (20 Dec.)  | Gain Deeper Insight into the Hyperconnected World
To accelerate your online business and stay ahead of the competition, you need insight into the latest security, connectivity and mobile trends. Click here to join Akamai, as we discuss the findings from the latest State of the Internet Report and its impact on the online industry. |
 | Spotlight on Consumer Electronics |  |  | | |  | - Several companies have kicked the tires on RIM
Microsoft, Amazon and Nokia weighed to various degrees -- then dismissed -- the notion of buying Research In Motion in recent months, according to published reports, which note that RIM's shares have fallen to multiyear lows. The BlackBerry and PlayBook maker reportedly has abandoned the idea, at least for now, of selling out in favor of trying to repair the company internally. The Wall Street Journal (21 Dec.), Reuters (21 Dec.) - LoveFilm signs content deal with Sony
Sony Pictures Television is the latest studio to strike a deal to provide streaming movies and television shows to customers of Amazon-owned LoveFilm. LoveFilm has similar content deals in place with several studios including Disney and Warner Bros. The company lets users view films on about 175 different gadgets including PCs, Playstations and iPads. InternetRetailer.com (21 Dec.)  | Your job as an Exchange administrator isn't easy. You have to respond to lost messages, handle email discovery requirements, and keep everything up and running. Is there an easy way to manage your Exchange environment — and do it under budget? Learn about the challenges faced by three real organizations, and how using the right solution brought them peace of mind. |
 | NRF News | |  | | - Digital gift cards: A retail work in progress
Even in 2011, shoppers' chances of having an easy or pleasant experience purchasing a digital gift card are relatively slim. And online retailers are leaving money on the table by delivering sub-par experiences for customers who want to buy online gift cards. In a recent addition to the Shop.org white paper library, executives from CashStar and RSR discuss why online retailers need to significantly recalibrate online gift card purchase processes by featuring gift cards prominently on the homepage, providing a clear, timely purchase process, and allowing for personalization and a choice of delivery vehicles ranging from email to social media. Download the white paper.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | Things don't turn up in this world unless somebody turns them up."
--James A. Garfield,
20th U.S. president  |
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